It is easy to underestimate the Yankee farm system. A few years ago when Robinson Cano and Dioner Navarro were starting to make waves in Tampa, the Yankee system was considered by many to be among the poorest in baseball, but producing a starting second baseman and catcher is not a bad result. For 2006, the players to watch seem to be Phil Hughes and Jose Tabata. Jose Tabata? I hadn't heard of him either.


Position Players

The heralded position player prospects are third baseman Eric Duncan and shortstop C.J. Henry. Young outffielder Jose Tabata is the one that I have my eye on. He has lots to work on, starting with that ugly W/K ratio, but succeeding in full-season ball before the age of 18 is a very good sign. Here are their 2006 statistics with links to prior year information:

Player	Age	Level	AB	AVG	OBP	SLUG	W	K	SB	CS
Duncan	21.5	AAA	75	.253	.296	.320	5	16	0	1
Henry	19.9	LoA	29	.172	.294	.310	4	7	3	0
Tabata	17.7	LoA	86	.349	.376	.465	2	20	3	2

Pitchers

First round pick Phil Hughes is the jewel of the Yankee farm system. After overpowering the FSL this spring, he was recently promoted to double A and made his first (less than awesome) start last night. There are a few other pitching prospects of note, with 2005 2nd round pick J. Brent Cox, a reliever, being the most likely to actually make it.

Player	Age	Level	G	GS	IP	ERA	W	K	HR
DeSalvo	25.6	AAA	5	5	23.1	5.40	14	17	2
Henn	25.0	AAA	3	3	12.1	5.11	2	10	0
Hughes	19.8	AA	5	5	30.0	1.80	2	30	0
Cox	21.9	AA	6	0	11.2	3.09	5	12	0
Clippard	21.3	AA	5	5	24.1	4.07	10	27	2

Overall

It is a thin system, but the top prospects are actually performing quite well. If the Yankees can get a player every year from their system, or even two every three years, that will be enough. It's nice to be rich.